This piece is more like the tides of current events crashing against the shores of history!

When the volcano known as Thera erupted, the highly sophisticated civilization of the Minoans was directly in its path. Military history expert Barry Jacobsen and Leslie Eastman, who has a degree in geology, review one of the biggest natural disasters ever witnessed by man in recorded history. Topics include:

The Minoan people and their culture;

Minoan religion as it relates to bulls, high priestesses, and human sacrifices.

Mutual influences on other Mediterranean civilization (including Egypt and Greece);

Details on the eruptive sequence of Thera, and how that impacted the Minoan response;

The likely real killer of the Minoans — the tsunami and its impact on Crete; and,

Arguably the greatest general of antiquity (see notes below), Hannibal faced and nearly overcame the greatest power of the ancient world, Rome, on it’s own soil. He was master of all of the military arts but one: in matters of strategy, tactics, and (the most important) logistics he has no superior. However, unlike Alexander, he never conducted a truly great siege; though he did take some strong places. His inability to besiege and capture Rome ultimately doomed his efforts to failure. Strategically he took a great many risks, but all were calculated and the ground work carefully prepared for success. He understood that Rome could only be defeated if deprived of its recruiting grounds in Italy; and braved the Alps to take the war to his enemy and shatter their Italian alliances. Though he ultimately failed in this, he never lost a battle till his last; and was able to defeat every army the Romans sent against him. Tactically he was a master, and in this he is unsurpassed in ancient history. But perhaps his greatest feat was not getting his army over the Alps (however impressive this was); but in maintaining that army on enemy soil for 13 years. In this he was neither aided nor resupplied from home; relying only upon his own genius and resource. To the very end, his army (largely mercenaries with no national tie to bind them) stayed loyal and followed wherever the master led.

In this show, military historian and Spartan expert Barry Jacobsen discusses the origins of Sparta’s warrior culture, including the influence of geography and other ancient Greek city states. (Co-host, Leslie Eastman).

In what will be come a Lenten tradition for History Bytes, co-host Leslie Eastman (the team’s religious history maven) will offer a special podcast on a subject that touches upon the Easter/Passover season.

One family tradition associated with Easter/Passover season in America is viewing “The Ten Commandments”, the 1956 classic with Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner as Moses and the great pharaoh, Ramses II.

Some Egypt-loving movie-goers might appreciate the 1996 version of the story of Joseph that is one of Leslie’s personal favorites. It stars Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley, Paul Mercurio, and Lesley Ann Warren.

And while these aren’t the only stories involving Egypt in the Bible, they are the two that make ancient Egypt an integral part of their saga. In this History Bytes episode we look at:

1) What the Bible tells us about ancient Egypt in the tales of Joseph and the Exodus.
2) Information in the archeological records from the presumed eras that support these stories.
3) Recent discoveries that further enhance our understanding of these time periods.
4) A new view of the role if the Hebrews, as potential mercenaries is for the Hyksos, and what this would have meant for their long-term place among the Egyptians of this distant era.

History Bytes takes an in-depth look at the events and personalities of the past, and discusses their impacts on today’s complex world.

The host is Barry Jacobsen, noted military historian, former Green Beret, and associate producer of “Deadliest Warrior”. His co-host and producer is Leslie Eastman, biochemist, science writer/political pundit, and amateur Egyptologist.

Below is a complete list of available shows. This is a pay-for-podcast system, so you can enjoy the expertise of two history and media professionals. Click on the link to follow to the complete show and its description; hit the button to purchase shows of interest.

Military historian and Spartan expert Barry Jacobsen reviews the rise and Fall of the Spartan empire, including a detailed look at the Peloponnesian war War. Co-host Leslie Eastman, biochemist with a geology background, takes a look at the role of earthquakes and the Plague of Athens in the events.

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